It’s almost that time of year when we are besieged by green vegetables. After a few years off planting in my little kitchen garden, I’ve taken an almighty leap and sown all my veggie beds. Many are still tiny shoots but I eagerly anticipate harvesting courgettes, carrots, beetroot, kale, Swiss chard and peas. Assuming (the…
General
Elderflower Shrub
Now I love a homemade elderflower cordial however I am a huge fan of shrubs and this flower works so well in this drink. The word “shrub” is derived from the Arabic sharbah, which means “a drink” “sherbet” and “syrup” also come from the Arabic root. Shrubs are so refreshing, when combined with sparkling water or…
Spanakopita – Greek Spinach & Feta Pie
This spinach pie, is a Greek classic: made from dark leafy greens and salty feta cheese, enclosed in several layers of perfectly crisp, flakey filo pastry. If you’ve never tried it before you’re in for a treat. Delicious hot or cold, perfect to serve vegetarians and suitable for lunch or a light dinner. I like…
Garlicky Chicken
The beauty of cooking a humble ingredient such as chicken is that it’s used in pretty much all cuisines. I have prepared chicken with 40 cloves of garlic many times, it’s a French classic. The other I picked up from a chef I had the opportunity to work with from Mougins, some years ago, vinegar…
Sri Lankan Dhal and Chapatis
With beautiful golden beaches lined with palm trees, tea plantations nestled on misty mountain tops, bustling traffic packed cities, tuk-tuks, elephants, bananas and coconuts. Sri Lanka has so much to offer. We visited the cultural triangle between Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla, it has a profusion of wildlife, exotic plants and World Heritage Sites. The palace…
Spiced Lemon Chicken Wraps
I can’t describe myself as a vegetarian but by and large I steer away from meat when I think about what to prepare for our supper. Every now and then however I go through periods of eating meat more regularly. One of our family favourites is roast chicken, free range from my local farm, it’s…
Swedish Seeded Limpa Bread
There is quite a revolution happening in British kitchens, no longer are we satisfied with supermarket pre-packed sliced, we want to master a home baked loaf. Now if you follow my blog you’ll know that I am a sourdough addict, occasionally though I find I just haven’t enough time to bake my sourdough. This is…
Roasted Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Salad
Cauliflower used to be boring, well not anymore! Its reputation couldn’t be more different today, as more and more health conscious people adopt a gluten free, low carb, plant based diet, a growing number of us are replacing flour, rice and other simple carbs with vegetables. Cauliflower, in particular because of its mild flavour and…
Decadent Dark Chocolate Financiers
Lovely things come in small packages, that’s what my mum always used to say, she was right, look at these exquisite little chocolate cakes. Moist from the ground almond, flavoured with beurre noisette and vanilla, light and yet they have a crisp exterior. You cannot fail to love them. When I’ve catered for parties over…
Swedish Glögg (mulled wine)
Glögg is a crucial part of the lead up to Christmas in Sweden with parties thrown throughout Advent and always served on 13th December, St Lucia day. Many Swedes attend several glögg parties every weekend in December! Glögg is the Swedish version of mulled wine, but it is not quite the same as mulled wine, the spices differ…
